Joker has to be one of the most divisive comic book movies we’ve seen in some time, partly because it’s so unlike other films in the genre. One of the biggest Batman fans there is, though, has given Todd Phillips’ dark psychological thriller his stamp of approval: the Joker himself (well, another one, at least), Mark Hamill.
In case you missed it last week, Hamill took to Twitter on the day of Joker‘s release to plug the movie – despite having nothing to do with it – and gave it “2 thumbs up.” The star even attached a fun picture from the archives featuring the cast of Batman: The Animated Series.Â
The #JokerMovie opens today. The awesome Joaquin Phoenix, Todd Phillips & Scott Silver brilliantly reimagine the character as never seen before! 2 thumbs up from that old-school, comic book version… me. ??? pic.twitter.com/Ex4is4OvPC
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) October 4, 2019
Hamill’s always been unfailingly complimentary to other actor’s interpretations of the Joker, previously going on record to praise Heath Ledger and Jared Leto. Phoenix’s take on the iconic role is pretty out-there, though, so you might think that Hamill, being a longtime fan, could have some problems with it. Much as he understandably did with Star Wars: The Last Jedi, for example. However, it seems his feelings are firmly positive.
Hamill’s BTAS co-star and good friend Kevin Conroy also retweeted Hamill’s message that day, which suggests he was a fan of the film, too. A fellow former in the form of Batman Christian Bale has likewise given Joker his blessing, even admitting that it was “brave” of Phoenix to try to match the high bar Ledger set.
Obviously, not everyone’s a supporter of the movie, with the film coming under attack for its possible real-world ramifications, rewriting of Batman canon and even a highly controversial song choice. Oh, and Leto wasn’t best pleased that he’d been replaced.
All that said, Warmer Bros. will no doubt see Joker as a success, with it currently smashing box office records. Phoenix is even up for a sequel, but we’ll have to wait and see how that plays out.
